By Glenn Schouw
Durban - Vince McMahon and Donald Trump are blood brothers. Trump is in the WWE'S Hall of Fame, while Linda McMahon, Vince's wife, also served in the former US president's administration.
Trump also borrowed from McMahon – not money, but his punchline, "You’re Fired" – when the former was a huge reality star on the "The Apprentice".
As the WWE remains Trump's favourite sport, it was no surprise that the Wall Street Journal's latest probe revealed that WWE Universe paid $4-million in 2007 and $1m in 2009 to the Trump Foundation.
McMahon didn't record these transactions. However, the Trump Foundation was forced to turn the lights out.
An investigation led by New York's attorney general found that money in the foundation's coffers hadn't been distributed to charitable organisations. This was what the foundation was initially created for. Trump cleaned out the coffers in his run to be president.
The millions that Trump received from the WWE was linked to 2007's WrestleMania 23 and WWE's Monday night showcase, Raw, in 2009. Trump had also hosted multiple wrestling events at his Trump Plaza over the years.
An attorney for the WWE said the payments should have been labelled as business expenses because McMahon was the principal shareholder and the payments benefited the company. How? Well, that question hasn't been answered.
Add that five million to the close to $20m McMahon spent in also undisclosed payments to women who accused him and another WWE executive of sexual misconduct, whereafter the head of the lucrative sports entertainment business had to step down.
McMahon’s name was removed from his office and other areas at the WWE's headquarters in Connecticut.
However, the WWE's greatest showman never lost his smile and didn’t miss a stride in his well-practiced exaggerated walk as his suitcase contained $3.5-billion. He also remains the WWE’s biggest shareholder.
So what did Trump do at the WWE events to receive five million?
Well, before I revisit the events in a summary, it must be acknowledged that McMahon and Trump’s interactions were a spectacular success. It is still spoken about today.
During Raw's Fan Appreciation Night, McMahon tried to turn the evening into a celebration of himself, talking up his accomplishments and showing off a magazine cover that featured the WWE owner. Trump cut in and berated McMahon for being selfish.
Trump was the babyface (in wrestling terms, the good guy), while McMahon was the heel (the bad guy).
Trump then had his Moses moment, but, unlike the Bible story when manna fell from the heavens to feed the starved believers on their way to the Promised Land, money rained down on the fans like confetti in a show of his appreciation for the audience.
The two executives didn't cross paths randomly. This was the early set-up for a showdown between them.
In the coming weeks, WWE told a story of two men at war, with pride and hair on the line.Trump and McMahon agreed to each send a proxy into the ring to fight at WrestleMania 23.
The price of losing would be a forced haircut, to be shaved bald in front of the crowd. McMahon chose the tattooed Samoan beast Umaga. Trump selected Bobby Lashley, the sculpted ECW world champion.
Before Detroit's Ford Field hosted what WWE dubbed the "Battle of the Billionaires", the businessmen met in an in-ring contract signing.
Trump strutted to the ring with two female wrestlers at his side. One of them, Maria Kanellis, later appeared on "The Celebrity Apprentice", where Trump fired her for using "locker room" talk.
As contract signings so often do in pro wrestling, this one unravelled into chaos.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin, or as some fans prefer, "The Texas Rattlesnake", appeared and threatened Trump. A scuffle broke out.
Trump ended up shoving McMahon over a table. This well-scripted drama guaranteed millions of pay-per-view buys from fans throughout the world for the upcoming WrestleMania.
Once the match began, Lashley and Umaga provided the majority of the physicality. They slugged it out as Trump and McMahon looked on.
Trump's ego demanded he get in on the action and bring some attention to himself. He charged at McMahon and clotheslined him.
Lashley toppled Umaga in the end, keeping Trump's famous hair intact. McMahon, who also had long hair at the time, soon found himself held down in a chair in the ring as his enemies sheared him to the skin.
In the aftermath, special guest referee Austin celebrated by downing plenty of beer and sending Trump to the canvas.
Despite having John Cena v Shawn Michaels and Undertaker v Batista on the card, Trump's presence was the winning ace for McMahon and his WWE empire.
WrestleMania 23 obtained the most PPV buys in company history, at 1.2-million, according to WWE's corporate site. The event also broke records for attendance – over 80 000 fans and ticket sales.
Lashley told Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated: "Trump understands success, and everything he did was top-notch. A lot of the success from that WrestleMania was because of him."
Now comes the genius, mind blowing part of this story. Trump made sure to point out his part in those numbers (PPV buys in company history and the other records) in WWE appearances afterwards.
McMahon appeared on Raw in June 2009. He looked uneasy. The fans soon learned why. McMahon announced that he had sold Raw, and Trump's face appeared on the big screen. Trump confirmed he now owned Raw.
"I'm going to do stuff that's never been done before, never been seen before," he told fans.
Trump, as he showed in his successful run for the US presidency and while he was president, understands his fan base.
He declared he was a man for the people. He would improve the WWE product and would broadcast the next edition of Raw commercial-free. McMahon was desperate to buy the show back.
Trump was not interested in each offer until McMahon doubled the price. When McMahon downed Trump's business practices, Trump told him: “I can do whatever the hell I want.”
However, this was all a stunning act. It was so good that when the WWE sent out a mock press release announcing Trump's mock ownership, Wall Street took it seriously.
As Deadline's Nikki Finke pointed out at the time, the stunt sent WWE's "share price down nearly 7% at one point".
Four year's later, in 2013, Trump was inducted into the WWE's Hall of Fame. However, this didn't sit well with many in the audience and this was no act on this occasion.
During his Hall of Fame induction speech, and even before, he received boos.
Of course, Trump was unfazed. “Vince and I have had an amazing relationship for many years."
While talking up his impact with the WWE, he also threw out mentions of his bestsellers and of his TV ratings.
Trump claimed that among his many successes, being a WWE Hall of Famer was special to him. "I consider this to be my greatest honour of all. I do,“ he said.
McMahon and Trump, billionaire blood brothers indeed, as well as the ultimate showmen!